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Thursday, July 2, 2015
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Ann Arbor residents celebrate the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage.
SAME-SEX MARRIAGE LEGALIZED Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision champions equality By ALYSSA BRANDON AND LARA MOEHLMAN Summer Managing News Editors
The Supreme Court of the United States ruled in a 5-to-4 decision that same-sex couples
have a constitutional right to marriage. Justice Anthony Kennedy delivered the long-awaited decision Friday morning. “The Constitution promises liberty to all within its reach, a liberty that includes certain specific rights that allow persons, within a lawful realm, to define and express their identity. The petitioners in these cases seek to find that liberty by marry-
ing someone of the same sex and having their marriages deemed lawful on the same terms and conditions as marriages between persons of the opposite sex,” Kennedy wrote in the decision. In his remarks at the White House following the decision’s release, President Barack Obama said the Supreme Court’s ruling was not only a victory for the couples represented in the cases, but a victory for the U.S. as a whole.
“And this ruling is a victory for America,” he said. “This decision affirms what millions of Americans already believe in their hearts. When all Americans are treated as equal, we are all more free.” He also said the decision should encourage those who are still fighting for social change that change is possible. “But today should also give us hope that on the many issues
with which we grapple, often painfully, real change is possible.” he said. “Shift in hearts and minds is possible. And those who have come so far on their journey to equality have a responsibility to reach back and help others join them, because for all of our differences, we are one people, stronger together than we could ever be alone. That’s always been our story.” See MARRIAGE, Page 3
ANN ARBOR
OPINION
IT’S ABOUT TIME Overdue ruling sets historic precedent. >> SEE PAGE 4
INDEX Vol. CXXI, No. 137 | © 2015 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com
NEWS ....................................2 OPINION ...............................4 ARTS ......................................6 CLASSIFIEDS.........................8 SUDOKU.................................2 SPORTS..................................7
Community reacts to Supreme Court ruling Plaintiffs, residents celebrate victory By LARA MOEHLMAN Summer Managing News Editor
As news that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of samesex marriage swept across the U.S. Friday morning, supporters rallied in both downtown Ann Arbor and Washington D.C. in celebration of this historic decision.
The Jim Toy Community Center, an advocacy group for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer residents of Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and the greater Washtenaw County area, hosted a “Day of Decision Rally” so supporters could gather in response to the Court’s decision. After quieting the crowd, April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse, one couple represented in the string of cases considered by the Court, offered remarks under rainbow colored streamers dur-
ing the press conference portion of the event. DeBoer thanked her lawyers for their determination and hard work. In January 2012, Michigan residents April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court, challenging Michigan’s ban on adoption by same-sex couples. DeBoer and Rowse separately adopted one son and two daughters, respectively, but were unable to jointly adopt their children because Michigan law
did not recognize same-sex marriages, and only granted joint parent adoption rights to married couples. “It’s been a long, long, hard road,” Deboer said. “It’s been four and a half years in the making… We would not be here if it weren’t for many people, and first and foremost our attorneys: Dana Nessel and Ken Mogill, Bob Sedler and Carole Stanyar. So I want to thank you guys as well. My last comment is to my beauSee COMMUNITY, Page 8
2 NEWS
Thursday, July 2, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
INGRID MICHAELSON
Ann Arbor to Ferguson holds meet and greet Activists hold meeting to discuss race-related issues By ALAINA WYGANT Daily Staff Reporter
VIRGINIA LOZANO/Daily
New York singer-songwriter, Ingrid Michaelson, performs at the Power Center as part of the Ann Arbor Summer Festival on Thursday.
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Ann Arbor to Ferguson, a local activist group protesting police brutality, held a Black Lives Matter community meet and greet at Elks Pratt Lodge in Ann Arbor Saturday to encourage residents to talk about the issues black people in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti face today and to plan Black Lives Matter activism events. Denise Bailey, one of the organizers of the group and a graduate student at the University, said there was a lot of local interest in gathering to take action for the lives and civil rights of African Americans in Ann Arbor following the death of Aura Rosser. Rosser, a 40-year old black woman and Ann Arbor resident, was fatally shot by an Ann Arbor Police Department officer after she reportedly approached officers with a knife. The Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s office did not press criminal charges against AAPD Officer David Ried, citing “lawful self-defense” in his shooting of Rosser. Ann Arbor to Ferguson was formed in response to Rosser’s death, protesting the Prosecutor’s decision and arguing that her death was preventable and one of a long history of police brutality and discrimination against African Americans. Ann Arbor to Ferguson is a consensus-based group that meets every Friday and has around 25 members during the school year. The group contains people of a variety of viewpoints and has members working on different projects to combat racism against African Americans. Previously, the group held a silent protest to raise awareness for police brutality against black women.
University graduate student Austin McCoy, an Ann Arbor to Ferguson organizer, said the group is working with the City to form both a citizen review board for oversight of the AAPD and a policy of best practices for the department. Organizer Shirley Beckley spoke at the event, inviting people to join her in “court-watching.” She specifically criticized the unequal law-enforcement she had seen, especially with regard to charging African-American children as adults. “We do exist. We are here,” said Beckley. “We keep trying. We keep protesting. We keep asking, and I don’t know the solution. I’m a little tired of it. I’m a black woman who has a son and a grandson. I worry about their safety.” Doctoral student Princess Williams, who worked for the political campaign of Jackson Mississippi’s former mayor, Chokwe Lumumba, a civil rights activist from Detroit, said she has seen first-hand the unequal treatment of African Americans by the justice system. She said that although she values the north for its progressivism, she said racism still exists here, too. “They’re going to be nice to you, but they’re not going to say they’re still thinking racist things,” Williams said. “I feel like something like Baltimore or Ferguson wouldn’t happen in Mississippi because we are hyper-conscious of the racism within that state, so if something happens, they’re going to immediately jump on the officials.” She then spoke about the murder of James Craig Anderson in 2009 in Jackson, Mississippi by a group of white teenagers. “When something like that happens, we take it seriously. Whereas, in the north, I feel like people have this perception that, ‘oh, that’s not racist’ or ‘there’s not a lot of politics See FERGUSON, Page 8
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Thursday, July 2, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
NEWS 3
Debbie Dingell holds long-term care dialogue Talk sets the stage for upcoming White House conference By LARA MOEHLMAN Summer Managing News Editor
Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI–12) met with a group of senior citizens Monday morning at the Pittsfield Township Senior Center to facilitate a dialogue on the long-term care system in the U.S.
MARRIAGE From Page 1 In dissenting opinion Justice John Roberts argued justices have the responsibility to determine what the law is, not what the law should be. This argument said states have the right to determine for themselves within those legislative bodies whether or not same-sex marriage is legal. Key to Kennedy’s decision in favor of same-sex marriage was consideration of the evolution of marriage, in addition to a recognition of its history. “The centrality of marriage to the human condition makes it unsurprising that the institution has existed for millennia and across civilizations,” Kennedy wrote. “The petitioners acknowledge this history but contend that these cases cannot end there. Far from seeking to devalue marriage, the petitioners seek it for themselves because of their respect—and need—for its privileges and responsibilities. And their immutable nature dictates that same-sex marriage is their only real path to this profound commitment.” Outside the courthouse, onlookers erupted with cheers when the decision was released. Following their excitement, there was a moment of silence until shortly thereafter the Washington D.C. Gay Men’s choir, standing in the back, began to sing a verse of the Star Spangled Banner. “USA” chants started filling the crowd. That festive atmosphere remained at the Court for the hours after the decision, with hundreds of people still gathered two hours after the decision was announced, waving flags and breaking out into spontaneous cheers, as the men’s choir kept singing intermittently. Stu Maddux, a resident of San Francisco California, was one of
The discussion was one of several hosted by Dingell before the upcoming White House Conference on Aging held in Washington D.C. in July. Monday’s discussion, which garnered a packed crowd at the Senior Center, was particularly relevant following the Supreme Court’s recent decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act, which Dingell said does not address the issue of long-term care. “I’m very glad last week that the Supreme Court ruled the way they did on the Affordable Care Act,”
many people gathered outside the Court Friday morning. He and others in attendance traveled long distances across the nation to witness this historic decision. “We came in from California just to be here for this,” Maddux said. “We cried. We got married when Prop 8 was repealed, but to be out here for this, it feels even more affirming. It really can’t be taken away now.” John Michael Eclar, a D.C. resident, said achieving marriage equality and gaining large amounts of support was unimaginable, characterizing the event as surreal. “Marriage equality across the nation is a thing I didn’t think I would see in my lifetime. Growing up in Virginia, where I was this... really insecure awkward person where in my upbringing I thought that being gay was a sin and it was something that I couldn’t accept personally,” Eclar said. “And as I was growing up, and the way the country was evolving, it was just amazing to see how supportive everybody started to become.” Justin Quam, also a D.C. resident, said he too was in awe of the Court’s ruling. “I’m just amazed that we’re here to see it,” Quam said. “I remember a couple of years ago, I made a bet with my brother of when marriage equality would be the law of the land, and I bet him it would be before 2020. And even at the time, I thought I was going to lose that bet for sure.” Joe Goldma, a D.C. resident, said having moved to D.C. from Texas, he feels relieved to be able to celebrate and enjoy a sense of community he never experienced before. Goldma, who was dressed up as U.S. Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, said he chose the outfit in honor of Ginsburg’s perseverance. “Ruth Bader Ginsburg had to
Dingell said during the discussion. “It’s not a perfect bill– we can keep working to get it fixed, but the fact of the matter is, is that it does not do very much for long-term care or do anything for seniors, and we’ve got to keep working on that.” The Dingell family has been involved in health care reform throughout history. Dingell’s husband, John Dingell, was an original author of the Affordable Care Act, which President Obama signed into law in 2010. John Dingell’s father, the late John Dingell Sr., also introduced a bill
in congress to provide national health insurance every year he was in the House until his passing in 1955. Dingell herself introduced the Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act of 2015 and has also released a Long-term Care Guidebook, which provides resources for residents of Southeast Michigan dealing with long-term health issues. Dingell said the current longterm care system in Michigan is a maze of unintegrated systems that are difficult to navigate and that are not designed to be helpful.
She also said she is particularly focused on long-term care reform because it is an issue she is currently dealing with herself, citing her husband’s recent health issues. “I say to everybody I’m on a journey myself,” she said. “It’s been a rough year. I’m not gonna lie to you, and it’s one of the reasons that I’m really focused on these issues– because I’ve been living a lot of these issues myself,” said Dingell. Dingell also stressed her disappointment with Medicare’s failure See DINGELL, Page 8
B L A C K L I V E S M AT T E R
ALEXANDRIA BODFISH/Daily
Ann Arbor residents talk about the issues black people in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti face today at the Black Lives Matter Community Barbecue on Saturday.
overcome a lot of obstacles to get where she is, whether it was in her advocacy, as an advocate lawyer and of course as a judge,” Goldma said. “And for me it’s sort of inspiration, to continue to push and break those glass ceilings, to be the person that I want to be.” Conor Rogers, a D.C. resident who went to the Court to hear the decision with his partner, said the Court’s ruling is one that will go down in history. “This is the kind of thing that your kids will read in textbooks, and they’ll be like, where were you when it happened?” Rogers said. “And so to be literally here is kind of amazing.If you went back in time and told me when I was fifteen years old, I’d be surprised,” Rogers said. “But I think as time went on, I think people knew this was inevitable, whether it
was by the Court or by the vote.” Al Gerhardstein, attorney for lead plaintiff Jim Obergefell, also participated in celebrations outside the court. He said the court’s decision carried much emotional weight. “It’s all very exciting, and it’s also very personal...in the bar section in the courtroom I was listening to all these otherwise jaded lawyers weep,” he said. “And I’m among it. I mean, it’s that profound that you can do nothing other than emote, when you realise what’s going on.” Gerhardstein said though there may be more complications to face in the future, today was a victory worth celebrating. “I don’t know how that’ll fare,” he said. “I haven’t even read the decision yet, so I don’t know where the loopholes are, that they’re going to be hunting for. So that’s tomorrow.
Today is champagne.” Justices were considering several cases that challenged same-sex marriage bans in Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee and Michigan, which were consolidated under the name Obergefell v. Hodges. Opening arguments for the case began in April. Michigan’s case, DeBoer v. Snyder, began in January 2012 when Michigan residents April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court, challenging Michigan’s ban on adoption by same-sex couples. DeBoer and Rowse separately adopted one son and two daughters, respectively, but were unable to jointly adopt their children because Michigan does not recognize same-
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4 OPINION
Thursday, July 2, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
certainly, the judgment in Obergefell v. Hodges will aid in successfully combating legalized discrimination that continues to exist in numerous states,
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FROM THE DAILY
It’s about time
SCOTUS declares constitutionality of same-sex marriages
L
ast Friday morning, after months of deliberation, the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to legalize same-sex marriage across the country. Citing equal protection under the 14th amendment, this ruling also requires all states to recognize any same-sex marriage performed in another state. The Obergefell v. Hodges case provided a long-awaited resolution to tenuous legal battles brought forth by a consolidation of several cases — one of which was DeBoer v. Snyder, a case challenging Michigan’s same-sex marriage ban, which subsequently prohibited same-sex couples from jointly adopting children. This momentous but severely overdue ruling by the Court merely marks the beginning of striking down unjust legal barriers and taking steps to dissolve immense discrimination faced by the LGBTQ community. But by recognizing the diverse range of couples and families, last Friday’s decision sets forth a crucial historical precedent to ensure full equality for all. Over the past decade, the movement for marriage equality has undeniably possessed immense momentum. Previously, same-sex marriage was legal in 37 states and the District of Columbia, but the ruling finally ensures that all government proceedings reflect the vast amount of support for same-sex marriage across the country. According to a recent poll by the Pew Research Center, 57 percent of Americans are in favor of same-sex marriage. The Court’s actions end a decades-long debate that has slowly inched toward altering the definition of marriage under the law. Most recently, two years ago, the Court declared aspects of the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act to be unconstitutional. The complete legalization of same-sex
marriage nationwide was the next logical and inevitable step to ensure equality for the LGBTQ community. As both past and present actions illustrate, it’s integral to the operation of any government to realize the malleability of cultural values and to adjust our laws accordingly as we, as a society, progress. In the majority opinion, Justice Anthony Kennedy described exactly why adjustment was needed: “As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves.
Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.” Finally, after denying these individuals their liberty for far too long, the Court’s ruling ensures each marriage will be upheld and recognized according to the same standards. The decision paves the way for equality not only in the realm of marriage and civil unions, but it additionally guarantees accompanying benefits and rights in a variety of areas, such as adoption, health care and financial matters. All that said, last Friday’s historic decision serves as a reminder of all the progress that has yet to be attained. But
E
including Michigan. For now, though, Friday’s ruling is a moment to celebrate and a testament to the will of a nation to enact necessary social change.
People being people
ach generation is defined by its monumental occasions. For ours, last Friday was undoubtedly one of those days. The Supreme Court ruling — in years to come — will stand as a pivotal moment of progress that was long anticipated and was widely celebrated by those MELISSA close to me. SCHOLKE Delayed for far too long, marriage equality was a necessary cultural shift that didn’t come quietly — nor should it have. Within a mere matter of hours after the decision was first announced — and certainly by the next day — the divisive nature of the issue was splayed on computer screens across the country. Amidst a stream of rainbow-tinted profile pictures, news articles and jubilant announcements, there were only a few posts on my personal newsfeed that didn’t share the same excitement. While a select number of posts prompted some lengthy debates, the few that argued a differing set of beliefs tried to do so respectfully. However, during a phone a conversation a few days later, I learned that my newsfeed had probably been slightly more colorful and more enthusiastic than those belonging to members of my family or to some of my friends in other parts of the country. Not yet realizing that I probably had been encapsulated in a progressive, millennial media bubble, I grew increasingly aggravated and passionate as I was told some of the opposing points raised against the decision. A family member — detecting my not-so-subtle annoyance — told me important words to remember whenever I was talking about this particular case. They parted the conversation with the phrase: “Let people be people.” “Let people be people?” I was so confused. What else would they even be? This phrase – although I still didn’t get it— kept resurfacing in my mind and appearing on the page as I scrawled down scrambled words, passages and column ideas. The more I pondered the seemingly vague and obvious statement, the more applicable it seemed. People disagree. People argue. People hold a varying degree of beliefs that will inevitably clash, but even so, the dissonance between conflicting ide-
ologies needs to be addressed without judging, or denouncing, the other person or endangering their rights. Ideally, this was probably the intended meaning of the message when I first received it, but I delved a bit further. In a way, the statement — albeit a rudimentary one — summarizes the Supreme Court ruling as whole. As humans, we all seek to love, to find contentment and to enjoy the environment and the people we surround ourselves with.The goal of the Court ruling was to let people be themselves and love freely without discrimination. The success of Friday’s milestone demonstrates humanity’s capability to persevere and devote itself to a cause. While the government may have guaranteed individuals this right, the next actions need to involve ensuring the security and comfort they rightfully deserve as they do so. Despite the widespread acceptance and support exhibited for the goals of the LGBTQ community, expressing one’s identity fully isn’t done without precautions. Members of the LGBTQ community continue to face immense rates of violence and harassment. The freedom to marry and settle down may extend across the nation, but financial and career stability isn’t guaranteed in each state. Protections prohibiting workplace discrimination based upon sexual orientation exist only in 22 states, and only 19 of these states possess statutes guarding against discrimination based upon gender identity. Additionally, increased rates of poverty and homelessness still need to be addressed. People — while they may strive for security and companionship — also tend to fear the upheaval of tradition. Recent attempts to nullify or combat the Court’s ruling, as suggested by a group of government officials and presidential candidates, only demonstrate an unwillingness to improve the greater good in an attempt to calm this trepidation. Let people be people. It’s a simple statement, and it most likely lacks some needed nuance. Yet, at its core, it describes a basic principle for how we should act towards one another. As a society, our goal, despite differences of opinion, should be to promote the idea that each person is free to express their identity as authentically as possible without outside inhibitors or judgment. — Melissa Scholke can be reached at melikaye@umich.edu.
Thursday, July 2, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
The pursuit of purpose
I
went to the movies with a couple of friends on Saturday to see Pixar’s “Inside Out.” Having seen the trailer and thinking, “Wow! Whoever thought of this must have been on drugs,” I knew this was a movie I had to see (even if it meant being the DEREK only group of WOLFE college students mixed in with parents and their pre-10-year-old kids fighting for the coveted middle seats that aren’t too high up). After winning the battle against my tendency to fall asleep during movies, when the film ended, I knew I had seen something special. Sure, it was technically a “kids” movie because that’s what Pixar makes, but really it was anything but. It was a movie that I, a 21-year-old rising college senior, needed to see. Without ruining it for anyone, the message of the movie is this: It’s okay to be sad. Yes, it’s certainly more pleasant to be happy, but there are times where we need help to cope with what’s going on in our lives. And instead of pretending to be something we’re not and repressing our emotions, it’s simply better for our mental health to be honest and express our sadness (or anger, fear and disgust, though at least according to the movie, these emotions are less productive in helping ourselves). For the most part, the people closest to me — my friends and family — believe in this. We’re open with each other and tell it how it is. When we’re happy, upset, sad or frustrated, we make it known. Admittedly, this can sometimes go to the point of offending each other or just being annoying, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. “Inside Out” validated this lifestyle for me. Over the past couple of years, I’ve come to terms with the idea that being “happy” isn’t my ultimate goal. Because if it is, then I’m most certainly going to fail. Emotions come and go, so even in the best possible circumstances, feelings of joy are only temporary. Therefore, the goal is letting the negative emotions, like sadness and fear, happen, but not allowing them to latch on for too long and become
overwhelming to the point of depression. Obviously, that’s easier said than done. By no means is this philosophy my idea. I first came across it when my aunt recommended that I read “The Happiness Trap” by Dr. Russ Harris. Put simply, Dr. Harris presents the idea that most thoughts are random and uncontrollable. Therefore, it’s not worth trying to control what you think, but rather how much weight you put on each thought. In order to determine which thoughts are more important than others, you decide if they apply to your beliefs and values, the things we care about the most. If they do, you act on it. If not, instead of trying to actively eliminate the thought and getting upset that it exists, you let it wither away. Doing this successfully takes immense practice — it’s a daily challenge for me — but I am convinced it will help me live the life I want to live. In my Public Health 300 course this past winter, Prof. Vic Strecher taught something similar. He preached the idea of living with purpose, that when you live for something above yourself, whatever that may be, you will live not only a fulfilling life, but a healthier life. To name a few benefits, studies have shown that having a purpose can help us sleep better and reduce obesity, as well the risk of a heart attack. So although I am still searching for my purpose (it’s not supposed to be easy), this concept has stuck with me. The issue with these ideas is that they’re relatively new. There is a massive emphasis in this country on the “pursuit of happiness,” and rightfully so. After all, we’ve been talking about it for nearly 239 years. But perhaps we should take on a different approach, where we stop tricking people into believing that a happy life is a successful life. Perhaps a life where we learn to balance our emotions and embrace the good and the bad is really what makes a successful life, that is, if we’re determined to define success. Maybe it’s time to start preaching, “life, liberty and the pursuit of purpose.” “Inside Out” continued a needed conversation on the importance of mental health and how our society handles it. But it’s up to us to keep talking and educating ourselves — to change the outdated status quo. And by the way, how cool would it be if there were actually little creatures in our heads? — Derek Wolfe can be reached at dewolfe@umich.edu.
OPINION 5
ROOSEVELT INSTITUTE | VIEWPOINT
Investing in diversity
The University of Michigan and Michigan State University, the two largest universities in the state, together purchase more than $2 billion of goods and services each year, including everything from desks to high-powered computers. Much of this money is spent in Michigan, supporting local businesses, even through tough economic times. Unfortunately, state policies have prevented the University and MSU from fully using their purchasing power for the benefit of all of Michigan’s business owners. According to the most recent census, only 30 percent of Michigan firms are owned by women and 13 percent by minorities. One of the major causes of this is an unfair lack of access to capital: women and minority entrepreneurs are less likely to have loans approved and more likely to pay higher interest rates, even after controlling for credit score and other factors. This lack of entrepreneurship opportunities hurts job growth and drives both wealth and income inequality. Many universities around the country have recognized similar conditions in their communities and used their purchasing power to help give a fair shot to all entrepreneurs. For example, by focusing on local suppliers and increasing its purchases from minorityowned firms from $41.4 million to $105.7 million, the University of Pennsylvania has generated about 200 jobs and $6 million in local wages. Regionally similar schools like Ohio State University, the University of Illinois, Indiana University and the University of Wisconsin have all set specific spending goals for businesses with women and minority owners. However, two current state policies inhibit Michigan’s universities from making a similar impact. In 2006, a state constitutional amendment was passed banning affirmative action by publicly funded institutions. While much has been written
about how the ban has affected minority enrollment in higher education, there has been far less discussion about how the ban has affected university procurement departments. Point 2 of Section 26 of the amendment states that “the state shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting (emphasis ours).” Because of this specific ban on affirmative action in public contracting, universities in Michigan are unable to systematically support disadvantaged business owners through their procurement. This prevents both the University and Michigan State University from setting specific disadvantaged business spending goals, like many universities in the Midwest. Additionally, unlike many states — both red and blue — there’s no comprehensive statewide agency that’s set up to support or certify women- and minority-owned businesses (WBEs and MBEs, respectively). While the Michigan Department of Transportation maintains a small transportation-specific database (as mandated by federal law) and the nonprofit Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council maintains an MBE certification, both of these programs include only incomplete listings that are not publicly searchable. As a result, neither public nor private institutions have an available list of such businesses. So even if MSU, the University or another local enterprise believe they might be able to use a WBE or MBE for a specific contract, they have to rely on a variety of private groups for information. (MSU once maintained its own diverse vendor database, but it was lost in a software switch and is only slowly being reconstructed.) While other states’ diverse business programs vary, Michi-
gan’s lack of an agency or public database is unusual. Every state that surrounds it in the Midwest, including Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin, maintains a searchable database. Some states, like Ohio, actually set benchmarks for state agency procurement. There’s nothing partisan or left-leaning about these other states’ MBE and WBE programs. Alabama’s Republican-dominated state government not only certifies businesses through its Office of Minority Business Enterprises, but also advocates for and offers training to small and diverse businesses. South Carolina’s Republican governor, Nikki Haley, maintains a Governor’s Office of Small and Minority Business Assistance. This office has established a database of diverse vendors, works with state agencies to monitor minority contracting, and offers policy guidance on issues involving small and minorityowned businesses. These states have recognized that creating entrepreneurship opportunities for all of their citizens creates jobs and combats inequality in their communities. It’s time for Michigan to do the same. Michigan’s legislators must support universities’ efforts to purchase from disadvantaged businesses throughout the state. A repeal of the state’s controversial constitutional amendment banning affirmative action would create lasting change, but is currently unlikely. Right now, however, our legislators and governor can work to establish an office that creates a database of diverse firms. Doing so would allow Michigan universities to join with others around the country in creating more vibrant, inclusive communities.
Dominic Russel, Julius Goldberg-Lewis, Mario Gruszczynski, and Julia Christensen are members of the University chapter of the Roosevelt Institute.
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6 ARTS
Thursday, July 2, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
MUSIC NOTEBOOK
TV REVIEW
Kendrick Lamar thanks ‘Human,’ maybe Lil B, and here is why By KIM BATCHELOR Daily Arts Writer
How the underground artist has transformed rap music’s landscape By SHAYAN SHAFII For The Daily
Kendrick Lamar almost never tweets. When he does, it usually has something to do with either his music or one of his TDE labelmates. But this week, he gave a completely unprompted shoutout to Bay Area rapper Lil B on twitter. The phrase “Thank you BasedGod” appeared not once, but twice in the less than 140 characters tweet, where Kendrick showered Lil B and Lil Wayne with praise. The tweet leaves many conservative hip hop heads with mixed feelings: why is the creator of To Pimp a Butterf ly showing love for the dude with songs titled “Pretty Bitch” and “What Dat Mouth Do?” According to Kendrick himself, for “teaching us how to swagg in videos”. And he’s right. Underground rap before Lil B looked like shit. Back in 2009, popular mixtape-hosting website Datpiff was cluttered with backpack rappers who oddly competed for the worst Nas impersonation. The advent of Lil B, although met with strong resistance, forced cliché mixtape rappers to reconcile with the fact that rap was changing. Looking back from 2015, the current hip hop climate has been largely built by an unsung hero in the form of a guy with dirty vans and zero radio hits. Before even getting into the music, it’s important to trace the evolution of visuals in rap music over the past six years. Lil B has been on twitter since 2009, and he’s had the same avatar since. It’s a photo of him wearing a multicolor silk coat with no shirt underneath; he gives a faint smile while flexing his iced out ring and now iconic tats. Virtually every quirky, bizarre Internet rapper that’s come out since has been nothing but an attempt to recreate that photo in life and song. All you have to do is watch a Migos video, a Riff Raff vine or any photo of Young
Thug fully clothed. B has also been wearing gender-breaking fits from the start, but no one made a fuss of rappers wearing women’s clothes until Kanye West wore a women’s Céline shirt during his 2011 Coachella performance, or a skirt (kilt?) during his Watch The Throne tour the same year. BasedGod had quietly been curating these developments in rap years earlier. Furthermore, the only time Lil B has had the nation’s attention was last week when he appeared on ESPN’s SportsNation, donning earrings, a sun hat and a white lace top. And then there are the videos. Earlier in the summer, A$AP Rocky dropped his drugged out visuals for L$D, but guess who premiered it on his behalf? Paying homage, Rakim got Lil B to premier the video by being the first to tweet the link. The video itself, with Rocky roaming the streets in exaggerated colors and warped depth can draw direct comparisons to many of Lil B’s earlier videos, but it’s not the first time Rocky’s art could be described as based. Rocky (and subsequently the rest of the A$AP Mob) blew up after the 2011 release of Live.Love.A$AP, which Clams Casino (prominent Lil B collaborator) produced a third of. One of the foremost identifying features of Rocky on this tape is his perception of himself: a self-described “pretty boy” who signed a three milliondollar deal off Internet buzz. Naturally, this poses questions that are difficult to answer. Why do so many artists get away with based tendencies while catching mainstream success? Why is Lil B celebrated only ironically while the artists that spawned in his wake climb the Billboard charts? Why do people hate Lil B while their favorite rappers adore him? We know the answer isn’t behavioral, because so many of his fledglings exhibit the same behavior while gaining widespread respect. Thus, the answer lies somewhere in his rugged, sprawling, unpolished discography. The problem with Lil B is accessibility. His Wikipedia page lists 58 different mixtapes, solo
albums and collaborative efforts, but that doesn’t even begin to scrape the surface. The reality is he has hundreds of projects f loating around the Internet, some boasting over 100 songs. I routinely download 5 mixtapes at a time and don’t discover hidden gems until months later. For fans, the act of following his music is almost as fun as listening. The excitement of keeping up with Lil B’s output is part of what creates his cult fan base; there’s a new music video every week, a new song every day, and a new tweet every hour. This is ultimately what distinguishes him from the likes of A$AP Rocky and ILoveMakonnen: there are barriers to entry. You can’t just YouTube him and settle on knowing Wonton Soup. He has so much content on the Internet, that he makes you work to be a truly informed fan. There’s no such thing as a lazy Lil B fan. The man has a ridiculous work ethic, but his downfall in achieving mainstream success is that he does not entertain the notion of quality control (which is not a bad thing artistically). He doesn’t even stop and fix a song if he messes up recording. There are countless instances of Lil B losing his place, or outright bringing his rapping to halt midtrack to collect his thoughts. But if Lil B had a leaner discography, he still wouldn’t have become a relevant figure in mainstream rap. The nature of his inf luence on modern rap is in his relentless output and all the crazy shit that comes with it: the inspiration to be yourself, coming from a dude who thinks he’s Ellen Degeneres, Miley Cyrus and Jesus Christ at the same time. Sadly, this was the only way it could have happened. The man who fathers most of the rappers and trends in the game, is inherently unable to enjoy the same mainstream success as his successors. While Lil B remains a villain in conservative circles of hip hop culture and an enigma to casual rap fans, those who can accept the shifting face of rap truly appreciate what he’s done for the culture. Thank you BasedGod.
The British-American sciencefiction series, “Humans,” follows a group of artificially intelligent robots called Synths who Aare different from the other Humans Synths who are AMC manufactured and sold com- Series Premiere mercially. These Synths are special because they have the ability to think on their own and to feel. The episode is a bit of a slow burn, focusing on the introduction of the world in which Synths exist and the characters rather than action. The dialogue is important, though, and if the audience has difficulty understanding English accents one ought to consider closed captions. The interpersonal interactions are what drive the show. The main protagonist, Anita (Gemma Chan, “Secret Diary of a Call Girl”), is a member of a special group of Synths who have been kidnapped and reprogrammed. She is struggling with resurgent memories and emotions during her assignment to a family. Gemma plays the role with dignity and poise, making her performance believable. Despite this, she invokes an emotional response in the viewer as we sympathize with Anita’s plight. Colin Morgan (“The Fall”) plays a Synth supporter named Leo who travels with and protects the group of Synths as his family. In fact, it was his father who created these Synths. His character is hard to get a read on as Leo plays everything close to his chest. This is a self-preservation technique, but as a result it is difficult to figure out what his motivations are as a character and access him emotionally. He comes off as stand-offish and vaguely threatening. Hopefully, more backstory will be given on why these Synths are different, how they are related to Leo and why they are on the run in the first place. The family dynamic built by the Hawkins family, consisting of Joe (Tom Goodman-Hill, “Mr. Selfridge”), Laura (Katherine Parkinson, “The IT Crowd”) and their three kids is humble and believ-
able. Because of the subtlety with which these actors perform, the dialogue between the parents and their kids isn’t forced. This is particularly true for Lucy Carless (“Code of a Killer”) in her portrayal of teenage Mattie. Mattie is a brilliant hacker with a bad attitude towards Synths. Despite her typical teen angst she actually really loves her family and it’s her character that forms the glue that bonds the Hawkins together. Also, Sophie (Pixie Davies, “Utopia”) is incredibly adorable. The father and son relationship built between George Millican (William Hurt, “Damages”) and his Synth, Odi (Will Tudor, “Game of Thrones”) is heartbreaking. George relies on Odi’s memories of his deceased wife, Mary, because he cannot remember her himself, but Odi is getting older and beginning to breakdown. Despite Odi’s inability to connect with George on an emotional level, the viewer can’t help but root for the pair to stay together. To lose Odi would be, for George, to lose the rest of his family. A stand out performance comes from Emily Berrington (“24: Live Another Day”) in the role of Niska, a Synth who was stolen along with Anita and forced into the role of Sex Worker. Despite the fact that it must be both physically and emotionally painful for her, Niska refuses to turn off her pain receptors, stating, “I was meant to feel.” And as she feels pain, so does the audience. “Humans” has many references to classical AI/Robot theory and literature, sighting the Three Laws of Robotics by Issac Asimov, which prevent a robot from harming a human, and the Technological Singularity, in which AI is capable of recursive self-improvement and humanity is made obsolete. Beyond this it also brings up moral and ethical philosophical debates to consider. For example, already in our own world robot girls are being created in Japan, are sexbots in our future too? And at what point would a robot be considered conscious enough for such an act to be considered rape, as it surely was to the character Niska? What is consciousness? What is a human and who has rights? What makes us different from machine?
Thursday, July 2, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
ARTS 7
BOOK REVIEW
Likability lost in perspective of ‘Grey’ “50 Shades” follow-up highlights abuse and ridiculousness By CHLOE GILKE Managing Arts Editor
In August 2008, Stephenie Meyer broke the hearts of a million preteen girls. Some jerk leaked the first 12 chapters of “Midnight Sun,” her highly anticipated follow-up to the “Twilight” series, and this betrayal squashed her creative muse so thoroughly that she swore she’d never finish writing the book. The news broke my suggestible, Cullen-loving, 14-year-old heart. I’d wanted more than anything to relive my favorite romance from another point of view — to dive into Edward’s brain and excavate his thoughts and blossoming feelings for Bella and resurface with a complete history of their love. The “Fifty Shades” film took me by surprise earlier this year, needling its way into my subconscious. Despite its problematic relationship politics and Christian’s poor characterization, I fell as fast for these two as I did for Edward and Bella seven years ago. Lucky for fans of “Fifty Shades of Grey,” E.L. James is not Stephenie Meyer. A few weeks before its June 18 publishing date, James announced that she’d rewritten “Fifty Shades” from Christian’s perspective. “Grey” would be a welcome surprise — after all, it’d been three whole years since James wrote the last installment of her trilogy, and media hype had quieted significantly. The coming sleepy afternoons of midJune would be the perfect time to awaken my inner goddess and take a trip into Christian Grey’s fiftyshades-of-fucked-up head. “Grey” does not deserve those summer afternoons. “Grey” does not deserve to occupy a single second of your time. “Grey” certainly does not deserve 559 pages of paper from thousands of beautiful trees and $9.89 of your hard-earned money. This book is trash in its purest form, nearly impossible to read through layers of stinking bullshit and lazy writing that makes the original “Fifty Shades” look like “Pride and Prejudice.” Part of the appeal of reading this story from Ana’s perspective is that the reader could also get swept up in the mysterious allure of Christian
Grey. The reader knows what Ana knows and sees what Ana sees — a gorgeous and super-rich guy who wanted to have lots of hot, weird sex. “Grey” features the exact same story and dialogue as “Fifty Shades,” which is not surprising given that this is a rewrite of a book that already exists. But just in case anyone wanted to call out Ms. James for putting approximately zero work into writing “Grey,” she adds an additional layer to the story. Christian Grey is a complete fucking psychopath. Reading from his point of view is uncomfortable, to say the least. In the time spent away from Anastasia’s hula-dancing subconscious, we see that Christian daydreams of abusing women he’s barely talked to, has little regard for consent and is obsessed with smelling Anastasia Steele’s neck. Christian objectifies Ana from the moment she arrives in his office to conduct that fateful school newspaper interview. He fantasizes about her “inviting” mouth, the blush on her cheeks, her sweet blue eyes and “fine ass.” There’s nothing romantic about deconstructing a woman’s appearance, and it’s amazing that James assumes that women will read this passage and still think of Christian as a flawed, but ultimately romantic, hero. James tries to justify Christian’s behavior by providing his backstory. He’s scarred by the memory of his drug-addicted mother, who spent half her time neglecting Christian and the other half unconscious, and her abusive boyfriend. He has recurring nightmares of being a four-yearold boy in Detroit, sitting on the floor, pushing his toy cars around and hiding from the scary man who hits his mother right in front of him. The terrors quiet when he sleeps beside Ana, but still he refuses to indulge her idealistic “hearts and flowers” vision of love. Christian rebuffs her every time she asks to touch him (as he repeats about once every other page, he “cannot bear to be touched”) and whines when she wants to make love on a bed instead of in his playroom. Ana looks silly through Christian’s perspective. She just doesn’t get that he’s got this sob-story childhood and that the BDSM lifestyle saved his life. She’s a “frustrating woman” for not understanding that Christian just isn’t hard-wired for the kind of affection she’s looking for. While Christian claims to appreciate Ana’s stubborn personality and insists that she is in control of their relationship,
UNIVERSAL
On the look out for grammar Nazis
Christian constantly undermines her decisions and actively stalks her until she changes her mind. All this would be more tolerable if the book weren’t so damn boring. From the writer who brought you 50 pages of e-mail correspondence, this is … 50 more pages of the exact same e-mail correspondence. Yes, the countless passages outlining the e-flirting and e-stalking that every reader loved in “Fifty Shades of Grey” make a reappearance here, and you might as well skip that half the book, because they are still dull as hell and make no sense. You would think that the CEO of a multi-million dollar corporation would have the common sense to text his main piece to ask where she is instead of pester her with dozens of e-mails every day. And there is plenty of boring new material as well. Because Christian is the CEO of a multi-million dollar corporation, his days mostly consist of e-mailing business executives and making vague plans for construction. There is an entire subplot about Christian deciding whether to build in Detroit or Savannah, and it is completely pointless. He sometimes orders his coffee black, and sometimes a latte and it’s always an exciting buildup to see which one Christian will ask his housekeepers and assistants to make him. To add to his serial killer persona, Christian spends copious amounts of time working out, taking showers and engaging in his aesthetic routines. (Christian Grey might actually be Patrick Bateman.) James is obviously trying to add world-building detail, but no one really cares that Christian likes to listen to Springsteen when he drives and the Black Eyed Peas
when he runs. Christian Grey should have been a compelling narrator, and “Grey” should have been an entertaining (if insubstantial) novel. But in exposing the mystery of what’s going on in Christian’s head, E.L. James reveals that there’s really nothing interesting to see there. The abusive tendencies that were alluded to in Ana’s version of the story become more explicit and impossible to
ignore. Anastasia, the series’ strongwilled heroine, is disenfranchised in Christian’s crudely disrespectful retelling. These enormous missteps might be forgivable if “Grey” committed to being trashy and fun, but the story is painfully dull and the writing just stupid. Maybe Stephenie Meyer had the right idea in keeping Edward Cullen’s thoughts in his head and off the page.
8 NEWS
Thursday, July 2, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
DINGELL From Page 3
Classifieds
Call: #734-418-4115 Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com
RELEASE DATE– Thursday, July 2, 2015
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
HELP WANTED
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 “Elementary” network 4 Eponymous obstetrician Fernand 10 “Oh, go on!” 14 __ provençale 15 Part of the plot 16 Gardening tool 17 *Serious swearing 19 Banded gemstone 20 Dorm room item 21 Really trouble, with “at” 23 Help on the way up 24 *Hunt’s rival 29 31-Down, for one 31 Former Honda model 32 Honda division 33 Perform for 36 Target of some sprays 37 *Brunch choice 41 Ref. book 42 Come to light 43 Not from a bottle 45 Expected amt. of repairs 46 It may be blessed 51 *Camera attachment 53 Hip bones 54 Modern detective fiction pioneer 55 Captain’s heading 58 Shade similar to bright turquoise 61 Cocktail garnish, and a hint to letters hidden in the answers to starred clues 64 Managing ed.’s concern 65 List closing 66 Burns negative 67 Adjust for space, say 68 Webster’s shelfmate 69 Come to a conclusion
DOWN 1 Longtime maker of convertibles 2 Have a tantrum 3 Solution for contacts 4 Trunk projection 5 Actress Heche 6 Attitude 7 Santa __ 8 Proactiv target 9 Great-aunt of Drew 10 Diplomatic code 11 John, in Scotland 12 __ blue 13 Bewitch 18 MIT grad, often 22 Doctor’s org. 24 Sarcastic quality 25 Use a threat to get 26 Like Botticelli’s Venus 27 Easy pace 28 Place for a plug 30 Rental ad abbr. 31 “Habanera” singer 34 Jeans giant 35 “Wow!” in texts 37 Skid row regular 38 Plasm lead-in
39 Statute opposed by the Sons of Liberty 40 Wide size 41 Dairy dept. quantity 44 Mideast initials 47 Mountaintop allure 48 “Airplane!” heroine 49 Xterra maker 50 Covered in ink, with “up” 52 Conger catcher
55 Former North Carolina senator Elizabeth 56 Cohesive group 57 Cockpit announcements, briefly 58 Solitaire base card 59 Four times a day, in an Rx 60 Ocean State sch. 62 WWII arena 63 GQ, e.g., briefly
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to cover the cost of hearing aids. “More than 50 percent of the people who need a hearing aid in this country can’t afford one, so they don’t get one. And I want you to think about the quality of life you have if you can’t hear.” Dingell also spoke of the current long-term care system’s failure to provide affordable preventative care, such as in-home health aides and healthy food service options. “You need help with daily activities: of eating, and dressing and bathing, and that we’ve gotta figure out how we do that...The current system is designed towards institutions. It’s not designed towards getting you help,” Dingell said. Attendees responded to Dingell’s comments with their own opinions and worries about the long-term care system. Some audience members spoke to the issue of changing pension policies for dependent,
COMMUNITY From Page 1 want to thank you guys as well. My last comment is to my beautiful children: We did this for you,” DeBoer said. Carole Stanyar, one of the attorneys for DeBoer and Rowse, also spoke at the press conference, praising her team and clients for their hard work and resilience. She expressed pride in the accomplishments of her case. “This was a definitive statement under equal protection, fundamental right, liberty, due process,” Stanyar said. “It was for now, and it’s for future generations. The bans are unconstitutional. States cannot treat people this way. They cannot treat people unequally. Samesex couples, their families, their children, have to be treated with dignity and respect,” Stanyar said. In an interview with the press, Attorney General Bill Schuette said throughout litigations, his main argument challenged who would decide if same-sex marriage should be recognized in different states. “We argued this case is a question of who decides: the
aging widows while others cited disappointment with long-term care insurance policies they previously bought. Another common concern was the general shortage of caregivers. In an interview with the Daily, Dingell said she realized people in the audience fear the lack of long-term care benefits available to them. “I think that you can see how many people are scared and worried that they don’t have the resources that they need for things that could happen,” Dingell said. Susan Salowitz, a resident of Pittsfield Township, attended the event and said she was glad to see Dingell making an effort to connect and sympathize with the senior community. “I’m so pleased that Debbie Dingell was willing to come and at least listen to all of our comments, get ideas… and let us know that she was trying very hard to relate to the problems of the many seniors in our area,” Salowitz said.
voters across the United States of America, or the Justices of the Supreme Court,” he said. “It was about voters and who decides, that was what the case was about.” Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor also offered remarks during the celebration. In an interview with the Daily, Taylor was enthusiastic about this progressive milestone in Michigan’s history. “I could not be more excited for the people of Ann Arbor and for all Americans. This is a day when the Supreme Court has redeemed the American promise of equality before the law. It has ratified that gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual people are fully and finally embraced into the American family. It’s just — it’s wonderful,” Taylor said. Beth Sherman, assistant professor of social work at the University and her wife, Karen Hawver, owner of Precision Accounting in Ann Arbor, attended the celebration and press conference at Braun Court with their two children. Sherman and Hawver were one of the 300 couples married in Michigan in March 2014
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Thursday, July 2, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
NEWS 9
Supreme Court to review affirmative action 2013 case on racebased admission policy to resurface By EMMA KINERY Daily Staff Reporter
After a historic week for the Supreme Court, during which justices legalizedsame-sex marriage and overturned EPA regulations, the Court announced Monday it would review a 2013 case concerning affirmative action at the University of Texas at Austin. The Supreme Court will rule
on the case in the upcoming fall session in early October. In 2008, Abigail Fisher, a white student, was denied undergraduate admission to the University of Texas at Austin for reasons she claimed were racially biased. During litigation for the case, named Fisher v. University of Texas, Fisher alleged that the school’s admissions policy was in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The University of Texas admits students under the Texas Ten-Percent Plan, a system that guarantees admission
to in-state students who graduate within the top ten percent of their high school class. Because of the plan, eighty-one percent of incoming freshman at the University of Texas were automatically offered admission in 2008. While race is not considered in admissions for students covered by the Ten-Percent Plan, race remains a factor in the admissions process for applicants of the University of Texas who do not graduate within the top ten percent of their high school class. Fisher graduated in the top 12 percent of her class;
By SHOHAM GEVA Daily News Editor
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Last week’s ruling to legalize samesex marriage wasn’t the only Supreme Court decision in recent days directly tied to Michigan. The Court struck down the Environmental Protection Agency’s Mercury and Air Toxic Standards Monday in a victory for a coalition of twenty three states and interest groups, led by Michigan, who initially challenged the regulations in the D.C. Circuit Court last year. The 5-4 decision marks the end of a twenty-five year push to create the first U.S regulations governing levels of mercury, arsenic, metals and several other airborne emissions for most power plants, first authorized in 1990 amendments to the Clean Air Act. 21 power plants in Michigan would have been subject to the standards if enacted, though the overall impact may have been limited due to existing state reg-
ulation on mercury and other airborne emissions that closely parallels the standards laid out in MATS. In a statement Monday morning, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette called the ruling a victory for both family budgets and job creation in the state. “The court agreed that we can and must find a constructive balance in protecting the environment and continuing Michigan’s economic comeback,” he said. The judicial challenge hinged primarily on language in the amendments that instructed the EPA to implement the regulations only if they were deemed “appropriate and necessary”, examining what costs had to be included in that determination. The government argued that under that mandate the EPA was only required to consider the public health costs of the emissions, not the financial costs to power plants, in the initial decision to regulate. However, Michigan Solicitor General Aaron Lindstrom, representing the states, argued that the financial costs were also pertinent. Justice Antonin Scalia, in delivering the opinion of the Court, acknowledged that there are situations where “appropriate and necessary” wouldn’t
which some believe would naturally create an incoming class of students from diverse backgrounds. The Supreme Court considered the case for eight months before reaching a 7-1 decision in 2013 that Fisher’s case would be retired to a lower court. The ruling was based on Grutter v. Bollinger, a 2003 case in which Barbara Gutter, a white student, was denied admission to the University of Michigan Law School in 1997.
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AT L O N G L A S T
Decision prevents EPA regulations Michigan-led coalition wins SCOTUS challenge to emission standards
however, because of her grades and extracurricular activities, she believed she deserved admission. The case brought to light complications concerning the Texas Ten Percent Plan, which subsequently prevented the University admissions office from adopting a similar policy. However, some campus groups, like the Coalition for Defending Affirmative Action, advocate for it. If the University were to adopt a similar plan, the top students in every high school in Michigan would automatically be offered admission,
ZACH MOORE/Daily
Marge Iveide and Ann Sorrell receive the first same-sex marriage license in Washtenaw County, after forty-three years together.
indicate the need to consider cost, but said MATS wasn’t one of them. “Agencies have long treated cost as a centrally relevant factor when deciding whether to regulate,” the opinion read. “Consideration of cost ref lects the understanding that reasonable regulation ordinarily requires paying attention to the advantages and disadvantages of agency decisions.” Scalia also emphasized that though the agency considered costs later on in the process of drafting MATS, that consideration wasn’t enough. “By EPA’s logic, someone
could decide whether it is “appropriate” to buy a Ferrari without thinking about cost, because he plans to think about cost later when deciding whether to upgrade the sound system,” he wrote. That point was a key disagreement between the majority opinion and the four justices who dissented. In a dissent joined by the other three dissenting justices, Justice Elena Kagan wrote that in looking at the EPA’s process of drafting the regulations as a whole, it was clear that financial costs had been considered, fulfilling the mandate of appropriate and nec-
essary. “When making its initial “appropriate but necessary” finding, EPA knew it would do exactly that — knew it would thoroughly consider the cost-effectiveness of emissions standards later on,” Kagan wrote. “That context matters.” Finalized in 2011 and set to come into effect this year, MATS would have required most coal and oilpowered power plants to reduce emissions by ninety percent for some substances, such as mercury, and close to ninety percent for substances like acid gas.
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10 SPORTS
Thursday, July 2, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
JAMES COLLER/Daily
Sophomore goaltender Evan Louro will take over the starting netminder job after entering as a prized recruit last summer.
Louro back as starting goalie By RILEY NELSON Daily Sports Writer
Even at 7 a.m. on a Wednesday morning in June, you can find sophomore goalie Evan Louro training, pushing himself to get better. Such is life for one of the nation’s best goalkeepers. The South River, New Jersey native was a member of a US National Team from 2009-2013 and is a product of the Red Bulls Academy, the development team for the Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls. TopDrawerSoccer.com ranks
Louro as the second-best goalkeeper and 22nd overall player in the nation. He attended Saint John Vianney, and, as a top recruit, had a tough decision to make coming out of high school. In addition to being heavily recruited by colleges, he was pursued by teams overseas. “I had a couple of offers in England and a few in Germany,” Louro said. “I thought ultimately the best thing for me was to go to Michigan,
because as soon as I went on my visit I loved it. I loved the campus, facilities. The coaches made me feel really welcome and the players as well … they all welcomed me with open arms.” A huge part of that decision was former Michigan goalie Adam Grinwis, who was entering his senior season as Louro was starting. “With Adam, he was there for four years, so he understands the game really well,” Louro said. “I
“I don’t think I was ready.”
think just spending time with him in the last year really helped me because … I don’t think I was ready for the college game and the understanding of all the tactics and how differently you have to play, so I think he really helped me develop my understanding of college soccer.” Last season, Louro played in 10 matches, starting in eight all nonconference games, and recorded a team-high 28 saves. At the end of the season he had a .718 save percentage — compared to Grinwis’ .684 — and a 1.28 goals against average. Grinwis graduated and recently inked a contract with the New England Revolution affiliate Rochester Rhinos, which means it’s Louro’s turn to take the starting position in net. “I didn’t really know what to expect coming in to college soccer,” Louro said. “I’ve heard from people that it’s a lot different than playing in the academy or playing for the national team and stuff like that. But (those experiences) helped me a lot and I’m ready.” What’s next for this topranked keeper? Helping bring a championship home to Ann Arbor, and he’s willing to stick around to see those results. “I hope to bring a trophy to the University of Michigan, whether it’s the Big Ten or the National Championship – hopefully both,” Louro said. “Try to win as much as possible – Michigan’s already relevant, but put it on that next level of an elite program. It could be four years, that would be great, however long it takes.” You can see Louro and the rest of the men’s soccer squad take the field at their home opener on September 4 against West Virginia.
BY THE NUMBERS
Evan Louro and Michigan soccer
22
National overall ranking for Louro before arriving at Michigan in 2014
8
Starts last season as a freshman
1.28
Louro’s goals-against average last year
18
Returning Wolverines, out of 25
WOLVERINE BITES By CHLOE AUBUCHON Daily Sports Editor
Harbaugh being Harbaugh Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh has turned heads for more than just his Twitter account over the past few days. On Tuesday night, he threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Comerica Park in his signature khakis and a Tigers jersey. In typical Harbaugh fashion, the pitch was less ceremonial and more competitive, as he asked if anyone clocked the pitch’s speed after he left the field. The following morning, Harbaugh stumbled through less than six minutes of an interview with ESPN Radio’s Colin Cowherd before the interview was cut off, with Cowherd calling it “a clunker.” After several bland answers from the coach, Cowherd insisted that though he was trying to help Harbaugh sell the Michigan program, the interview was “just not working.” Harbaugh later responded on Twitter: “In my experience of participating in interviews, I’ve found it takes 2 to produce a clunker! I’ll take 50% responsibility 4 this clunker.” Wolverines on the Move Various former Wolverines in the NHL and the NBA have been traded in the past few days. Swedish forward Carl Hagelin, who played at Michigan from 20072011, was traded Saturday from the cap-constrained New York Rangers to the Anaheim Ducks as a pending restricted free agent. On Friday, the Buffalo Sabres traded Michigan rising junior forward JT Compher’s rights to the Colorado Avalanche at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Originally drafted by the Sabres in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Compher will return to Michigan for his junior season as the Wolverines’ new captain, a title vacated when Andrew Copp decided to forgo his senior year of eligibility and sign a professional contract with the Winnipeg Jets. In the NBA, former Wolverine Tim Hardaway Junior was traded from the New York Nicks to the Atlanta Hawks on Draft night last Thursday. Hardaway, who played for Michigan from 2010-2013, was drafted at No. 24 by the Knicks in 2013, but failed to perform up to the standards of Knicks president Phil Jackson, who made critical remarks about the guard Friday.
Thursday, July 2, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
step up,” Hyman said. “You already have three years under your belt. … That’s what happens when you’re confident, you’ve worked hard and you’ve put in the work and time. I was fortunate enough to have a really good (first) weekend, and obviously it helps playing with great linemates and great teammates.” Hyman was also a crucial JAMES COLLER/Daily component in In addition to Hyman, sophomore defenseman Zach Werenski and five Wolverine signees earned professional deals (see right). the Wolverines capturing their 16th Great Lakes invitational Championship in December, when Hyman scored game-winning goals in the semiBy BRAD WHIPPLE training camps at the end of August finals and final against Michigan Tech Daily Sports Writer and into the beginning of September, and Michigan State, respectively. But the efforts of the eventual Big which will determine if he makes the After a breakthrough senior season, team. The Maple Leafs are now under Ten scoring champion wasn’t enough former Michigan forward Zach Hyman the leadership of new head coach Mike to push Michigan past the regular seais looking to stand out on a stacked ros- Babcock, who will also be making the son and into the NCAA Tournament, as the Wolverines missed ter once again. transition from Michiout on the chance for This time, it will be on hockey’s big- gan to Ontario with the third year in a gest stage for his hometown team. Hyman after spending row. Still, Hyman sees On Saturday, the Toronto Maples 10 seasons as coach of great potential for Leafs announced that Hyman would the Detroit Red Wings. next year’s squad. join the organization as the result of Given Babcock’s “Every year Michia trade between the Maples Leafs and close relationship with gan reloads,” Hyman the Florida Panthers, the team that ini- Michigan coach Red said. “We lost a lot of tially drafted him in 2011. In exchange Berenson, Hyman may guys this year … (But) for forward Greg McKegg, Toronto find some leadership you got a lot of really signed Hyman to a two-year entry level similarities between contract and received a conditional the two to help ease the transition and great players coming back and a great seventh round pick in the 2017 NHL earn a spot on the roster. leadership core with (JT Compher), Draft. “He’s one of the best coaches in the (Boo Nieves), and (Justin Selman). A Toronto native who spent his game, if not the best,” Hyman said. “To Those guys are gonna take the reins, childhood watching go from Coach Beren- and I’m sure the team will follow. It’s Leafs’ games with his son to Coach Babcock — gonna be a great year for them.” Even with the success of his senior brothers and friends, two great coaches — is year, though, it’s back to Square one Hyman will now get special.” the chance to repreBefore his senior for the Hyman. Two weeks ago, he was sent his favorite NHL year, Hyman wasn’t on named an Academic All American. Two team. many teams’ radar at weeks past, he’s a rookie trying to earn “I’m really excited the collegiate or pro- his spot on an professional team. Given Hyman’s history, however, the and honored to be fessional level, but that a part of the Maple didn’t deter him from forward may have no trouble exceeding Leaf’s organization,” making a lasting impact expectations yet again. “Nothing is really given, you just Hyman said. “I grew during his final seaup idolizing those son. The Hobey Baker have to go out there and work for it,” players. It’s pretty incredible and really Award finalist finished the year with Hyman said. “That’s how it is for any humbling to be a part of this organiza- 22 goals, 32 assists and a Big-Ten lead- club and that’s how it is for Michigan. “Coach Berenson always said ‘Nothtion after growing up and watching so ing 54 points — the first Michigan playmany great players. Now to be a part of er to reach the 50-point mark in one ing is given to you. You work for whatit is pretty amazing and really special.” season since current New York Ranger ever you get.’ ” Hyman will spend the rest of the Carl Hagelin in 2010. summer prepping for the rookie and “Coach always said seniors have to
Hyman signs NHL entry deal with hometown Maple Leafs
“You just have to go out there and work for it.”
“I grew up idolizing those players ... It is pretty amazing.”
SPORTS 11
Six selected in 2015 NHL draft By ZACH SHAW
Summer Managing Sports Editor
Many of his peers graduated from high school just a few weeks ago, but Zach Werenski showed he is more than ready for the road ahead. After leaving high school a year early and leading the Michigan hockey team’s defense in an exceptional freshman season, earning praise from scouts nationwide, the 17-year old was taken with the eighth pick of Friday’s 2015 NHL draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets. With the selection, Werenski is Michigan’s highest draft selection since Jack Johnson was taken third overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2005 “It’s unbelievable,” Werenski said. “I still can’t believe it happened. I’m very fortunate for the Columbus Blue Jackets to select me.” Despite being just the youngest player in all of college hockey, Werenski showed why he was one of the world’s top prospects with Michigan. He led all Big Ten defenseman with nine goals, and was named to the All-Big Ten First Team and Rookie Team. He also led the Wolverines with 59 blocked shots in 37 games, and showcased speed and versatility Shortly after Werenski was taken by Columbus, Michigan recruit and Youngstown Phantoms forward Kyle Connor was taken by the Winnipeg Jets with the 17th overall pick. This past season, Connor was named the United States Hockey League’s Player of the Year after winning the league’s scoring title with 34 goals and 80 points in 56 games. The 18-year-old Connor has signed his Letter of Intent with Michigan and is expected to join the Wolverines in the fall. Though Werenski now has the opportunity to join the Blue Jackets if he signs by July 1, many expect him to remain with the Wolverines for his sophomore season or join the OHL’s London Knights. “I haven’t thought too much about it,” Werenski said about his options. “I’m just living in the moment, it’s pretty surreal right now.” Over the course of the draft, six current and future Wolverines are expected to be selected — tied for third all time. In addition to Connor and Werenski, Cooper Marody, Brendan Warren, Joe Cecconi, and Nicholas Boka were taken on Day 2 of the draft. All six Wolverines plan to put their professional careers on hold however, to attend Michigan for at least one season.
12 SPORTS
Thursday, July 2, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
2015 Schefters: The awards for when you’re feeling blue By MAX COHEN and JAKE LOURIM Daily Sports Editors
Sure, this wasn’t necessarily a year to remember in Michigan athletics. In the most traditionally popular sports, there was the miserable football season, the injury-riddled men’s basketball season and a hockey season that ended with the Wolverines falling short of the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year. In total, Michigan’s three big-
gest sports all failed to make the postseason in the same year for the first time since 1972-73. But here, we’re celebrating only the positive of Michigan athletics. The Daily presents the 2015 Schefters, our annual look back at the best of the year in Wolverine sports. The awards are named after Adam Schefter, an NFL Insider for ESPN and one of the Daily’s most prominent alumni. We can’t promise anything, but there might even be a Jim Harbaugh mention.
Breakout Athlete of the Year: Zach Hyman, Ice Hockey For the first three years of Zach Hyman’s career at Michigan, he showed glimpses of the talent that led the Florida Panthers to make him their fifth-round selection in the 2010 NHL draft. But it wasn’t until his senior season that he put it all together. Hyman tallied 22 goals and 32 assists during his senior season, his 54 points well surpassing the 35 points he had scored in his previous three seasons combined. Not only did Hyman fare well compared to previous versions of himself, but also compared to the rest of the conference and country. Hyman led the Big Ten in scoring, was a first team All-American and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, college hockey’s most prestigious honor. Best Single-Event Performance: Jim Harbaugh’s introductory press conference
JAMES COLLER/Daily
Senior forward Zach Hyman scored the most points (54) by a Wolverine since 2010.
You knew he had to be mentioned in this, didn’t you? In a year in which the performances of many of Michigan’s most popular teams left fans unsatisfied, Harbaugh’s introductory press conference on Dec. 30 delivered in every single way. Sure, Harbaugh could have stood up at the podium and stared intently into the cameras for 15 minutes and you all would have been satisfied, but he ended up hitting all the right notes in his formal introduction as the Wolverines’ coach. Harbaugh spoke about becoming Michigan’s coach as if it were a homecoming, and he finally gave football fans something to look forward to after a disaster-filled 5-7 season. For one day, anything seemed possible. Except, of course, for Harbaugh’s soon-to-be created Twitter account. Some things are too ridiculous to imagine. Game of the Year: No. 6 Wisconsin 69, Michigan 64 (OT), Men’s Basketball ESPN’s “College GameDay” in town, a sellout crowd for a Saturday night tip and a chance to earn a marquee win over the
DELANEY RYAN/Daily
Junior second baseman Sierra Romero led Michigan to the NCAA Championship game.
No. 6 team in the country: It just didn’t seem like enough to keep the Michigan men’s basketball team in the game against Wisconsin on Jan. 24. The matchup appeared to be a mismatch: The Wolverines were 12-7, unranked and playing without their best player in junior guard Caris LeVert, who had suffered a season-ending foot injury the previous weekend. The Badgers were 17-2, in the driver’s seat in the Big Ten and starting All-American center Frank Kaminsky along with another future NBA Draft pick in Sam Dekker. But the Wolverines summoned one of their best efforts of the season, battling Wisconsin in the most exciting game of the year. With Michigan trailing late in the game, sophomore guard Derrick Walton Jr. scored seven points in the final 24 seconds — punctuated by a game-tying 3-pointer with 1.3 ticks left — to send the game into overtime. He finished with 17 points, but in the end, his magic wasn’t enough as Wisconsin outlasted the Wolverines in a classic. Coach of the Year: Carol Hutchins, Softball The years when Hutchins isn’t a viable candidate for this award are few and far between. Even so, her 31st season as Michigan’s softball coach was special. The Wolverines won their eighth straight Big Ten championship in dominating fashion, accumulating a 21-2 record against conference foes. The success continued in the postseason, where Michigan won the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 2006. The Wolverines didn’t lose a game in the postseason until the
finals of the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City. Michigan finished the season as the No. 2 team in the country, the program’s best result since its national championship in 2005. Hutchins’ ability as a coach was apparent in the non-strategic elements of the game as well. Though she tends to project an image of constant intensity, she allowed her players to have what seemed to be the time of their lives, “making pizza” and scoring runs. No coach at Michigan has done more to further a sport than Hutchins, and this year’s Women’s College World Series was the most-watched version of the event in history. Even Hutchins would smile about that. Team of the Year: Women’s Softball The Wolverines put together one of the most dominant seasons in their illustrious history, finishing 60-8 and capturing Big Ten regular-season, Big Ten Tournament, regional and Super Regional crowns. They lost to No. 1 Florida in a hard-fought Women’s College World Series final, first losing 3-2 before evening the series with a 1-0 win and finally dropping the winnertake-all game, 4-1. Until then, they had dominated their opponents all season long. They outscored them, 540-125. Seven starters hit above .300. Five smacked at least a dozen homers. Four drove in at least 60 runs. Two pitchers — senior Haylie Wagner and sophomore Megan Betsa — won at least 25 games, posting nearly identical 1.75 and 1.72 earned-run averages. When they captivated Michigan fans all over the country during the World Series, they proved they were the Team of the Year.